German tourist killed by wild elephant in India
1. Tourist continued driving towards elephant despite warnings from other travellers who waited for it to pass
German Tourist Killed in Elephant Attack in India
New Delhi: A 77-year-old German tourist lost his life after being attacked by a wild elephant in a forest reserve in southern India, police reported on Wednesday.
The incident occurred on Tuesday evening in Tiger Valley, Tamil Nadu, where the tourist was riding a rented scooter along a hilly forest road. According to authorities, the elephant, agitated by the presence of vehicles, charged at him, throwing him into the woods.
Despite warnings from other travelers who had stopped at a safe distance upon spotting the wild elephant, the tourist continued forward, seemingly unaware of the danger.
"He failed to heed the warnings of other travelers and drove ahead," said police officer Uma, who goes by a single name. "The elephant attacked him, and he succumbed to his injuries while being transported to a local hospital."
Attempts to contact the deceased man's family have so far been unsuccessful, police added.
Local media reports indicate that the tourist honked loudly in an attempt to drive the elephant away instead of waiting for it to pass. His decision to ignore warnings ultimately led to the fatal encounter, forest officer G. Venkatesh told The New Indian Express.
India is home to approximately 30,000 wild Asian elephants. Conflicts between humans and elephants are frequent as expanding human settlements encroach upon forested areas.
